As the regular season has come to an end, Last Word On Sports analyzes every playoff series. In the first installment, we take a look at the matchups in five categories: Offense, defense, goaltending, coaching and special teams. We also run down the players to look out for and give our final assessment on how the series will pan out. In the second portion, we will analyze what went down in the series, how the matchups led to the outcome and cover all important storylines.
The Western Conference Final is nothing new to the Chicago Blackhawks, who have now reached this stage in the postseason for the third straight year and the fifth time in seven seasons. The Anaheim Ducks are hoping that reaching the third round of the playoffs will result in the same success they had the last time they were here: their franchise’s only Stanley Cup in 2007. Chicago captured the season series 2-1 against Anaheim and outscored them 8-3 in those three contests.
Series Preview: Blackhawks Versus Ducks
Both of these teams have depth offensively up the middle with their defenseman also able to contribute on the scoresheet when the opportunity presents itself. While the spotlight could be placed on their top two lines in terms of production, their secondary scorers could be the ones to turn this series around for their club when space becomes limited for the superstars.
OFFENSE
Chicago’s offense has amassed 3.20 goals/game throughout the ten games they’ve played this postseason (8-2), which ranks third in the NHL. Anaheim’s goal-scoring ability has been put on display throughout their first two series against Winnipeg and Calgary as they’ve potted a league-leading 3.89 goals/game in nine games (8-1). The five-on-five battle will be crucial because these two teams possess some of the best goals-for averages when at even strength. The Hawks sit at 1.21 while the Ducks are above them at 1.69 (leads the NHL).
It’s quite simple: the best players on the Blackhawks have been their best players in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. Leading them out of the gates is elite forward Patrick Kane, who has points in his last seven playoff games and ranks 2nd with 13 points this postseason. In their last series against the Minnesota Wild, “Showtime” scored five goals in the four-game series which saw the Hawks sweep one of the hottest teams coming into the playoffs. Captain Jonathan Toews has 11 points while Patrick Sharp has nine, giving the Blackhawks three players in the top 10 in scoring. Bryan Bickell, who has failed to score a goal in this year’s postseason so far, is hoping to break out against the Ducks after compiling 27 points in 42 playoff games in the past two years.
Teuvo Teravainen has been a breath of fresh air in the Hawks lineup as his speed and composure while possessing the puck has allowed head coach Joel Quenneville to roll his four forward lines with ease. The Finnish forward scored the game-deciding goal in Game 1 against Minnesota. Duncan Keith (10 points) and Brent Seabrook (5 points) have been absolutely clutch from an offensive standpoint although their primary goal on the ice is to prevent the opposition from scoring on them. Keith scored the GWG 2OT goal in Game 1 against the Nashville Predators and Seabrook scored the GWG 3OT goal in Game 4 of that series.
In Anaheim, you’ll find an offense that balances grit and skill better than anyone in the NHL. A direct example of that is forward Corey Perry’s prowess. Leading the NHL in points with 15 in only nine games, the Peterborough, ON native dodged a bullet when he collided with Calgary Flames forward Matt Stajan in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Perry failed to put weight on his right leg after his knee caught Stajan’s and crawled to the bench in agony. He was back on the ice a few minutes later and ended up being the overtime hero to send his team to the Western Conference Final with his 7th goal of the playoffs. He’s good to go for Game 1, so don’t worry, Ducks fans. Ryan Getzlaf has twelve points (2G, 10A), which hasn’t surprised anyone due to his size and dexterity in the offensive zone.
Perhaps the one player in Anaheim who has shocked the hockey world is 24-year-old forward Jakob Silfverberg, who is right behind his captain with 11 points (3G, 8A). He had two points in 13 postseason outings last year and was a -3. Matt Beleskey broke a Ducks playoff record by registering a goal in five straight games and is one of the quickest skaters in the lineup for head coach Bruce Boudreau. Ryan Kesler has nine points in nine games, and has a long history with playing Chicago in the postseason during his previous stint with the Vancouver Canucks. Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm can provide scoring for the Ducks on the back-end, although they’re both under 25 years old.
DEFENSE
With two offensively-gifted teams such as the Blackhawks and the Ducks, their various defenses will certainly have to adjust to the opposition’s scoring threats. Anaheim boasts the best goals-against average in the Western Conference with 2.00 GAA and Chicago is third with a GAA of 2.80.
However, in four games against the Wild, the Blackhawks allowed only seven goals to get past goaltender Corey Crawford. Chicago’s defense has been one of the most consistent group of blueliners all season long, and Duncan Keith’s performance in the playoffs is a prime example of how the Hawks defend. The 31-year-old defenseman ranks first in the Western Conference in SAT (Shot Attempts For – 5 on 5: Team Goals + Shots on Goal + Missed Shots + Shots Blocked by opponent while player is on the ice) with 265. The next d-man behind Keith in the West? Brent Seabrook with 205. Johnny Oduya and Niklas Hjalmarsson utilize the “Swedish connection” to keep skaters out of Crawford’s crease and force pucks to the outside, blocking shots with every part of their body. Although, the biggest question mark on the Blackhawks defense comes from their third pairing.
Trade deadline acquisition Kimmo Timonen is hoping to capture his first ever Stanley Cup, but has failed to hit nine minutes four out of the last five playoff games. His usual line partner, Michal Rozsival, fractured his left ankle in the second period of Game 4 against Minnesota. The 36-year-old had surgery a couple of days ago and should return to “hockey activities” in 3-4 months. Now, the spotlight has been on David Rundblad, who will get his first taste of postseason play when he suits up for Game 1. Rundblad will chew up some minutes of Rozsival’s usual ice-time, but the top four of the Blackhawks defense should have their number of shifts increased to maintain stability in front of Crawford.
Anaheim’s defensive core has both veteran presences on it as well as younger, quicker players guarding its blue line. Four out of the Ducks top six d-men are under 24; Clayton Stoner (30) and Francois Beauchemin (34) are the more experienced role models the young guys such as Cam Fowler, Simon Després, Vatanen, and Lindholm can look to. Beauchemin recently passed Scott Niedermayer to become the Ducks franchise leader in points among defensemen in the playoffs. Usually there is an indecisiveness factor that comes into play when dealing with individuals who haven’t been in the postseason as much as others, but the Ducks defense has debunked that theory this season. They are a well-coached group and extremely disciplined in the defensive zone. That is an aspect of their defense that can only help them when facing off against the Blackhawks, who have numerous offensive weapons on the power play (more on that later).
Fowler has played over at least 18 minutes every game this postseason, but has managed to stay out of the penalty box time and time again. He also ranks 4th in the NHL in plus/minus with a +7. Boudreau isn’t afraid to play each of these defenseman in scenarios that other coaches may shy away from putting a 21-year-old like Lindholm in, but it has paid dividends for the Ducks this postseason. Lindholm is 1st in SAT when the game is tied with 41, five more than Keith. Analytics aside, it is no secret that the Ducks are terrific at exiting the zone easily, but they will face their biggest test in this series dealing with Chicago’s relentless forecheck.
GOALTENDING
25-year-old Frederik Andersen has shown that he belongs in the NHL postseason by amassing a save percentage of .925 and a goals-against average of 1.96 through nine games. He is more fundamentally sound in between the pipes in his second playoff campaign than last year, which saw him allow more than three goals/game and fail to have an overall save percentage in the .900’s. Facing against Kane, Toews, and Co. can cause havoc for any goaltender’s statistics, but Andersen is ready for the challenge. He was 0-2 versus the Blackhawks this year, allowing seven goals on 70 shots he faced. The only win Anaheim had against Chicago in the 2014-2015 regular season was with John Gibson, who made 38 saves in a 1-0 victory.
Gibson was unable to dress in the beginning of the postseason due to health issues, but is ready to be called upon if Andersen falters in the third round. Boudreau will not be afraid to switch netminders if this becomes the case, and history has shown that fact. When he was behind the bench in Washington before coming to California, Boudreau dealt with Jose Theodore, Semyon Varlamov, and Michael Neuvirth. Last year, it was Andersen, Gibson, and Jonas Hiller. Duck fans can only hope the stable option in Andersen remains that way.
A debate in Chicago revolving around starting goalie Corey Crawford and backup Scott Darling was quickly put to rest once Crawford returned to form against the Minnesota Wild in the second round of the postseason. His last five decisions have been W’s and has let up only four even-strength goals in that span. The 2nd round pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft is hoping to add a second Stanley Cup appearance to his repertoire, but more importantly, a second ring. A factor in Crawford’s play that he has altered for the better is his commitment to shots on goal. In the series against Nashville, he failed to maintain his positioning inside the crease after the initial shot, which resulted in open chances for the opposition on second opportunities.
It seems as Crawford’s lateral movement has improved since then, as he stood on his head in a 1-0 victory over the Wild in Game 3, making thirty stops for his only shutout of this year’s playoffs. His heavily inconsistent glove hand has been sharp as of late, and his confidence is through the roof now that the rest of the locker room has rallied around him. Although criticisms from fans and the media have been directed toward Crawford’s way throughout this postseason, he has let his performance do the talking to silence the both of them. It’s #50’s crease to lose for now.
COACHING
Bruce Boudreau won an ECHL championship in 1999, a Calder Cup in 2006, but has never captured hockey’s most elusive title, the Stanley Cup. In the seven full seasons he has coached in the National Hockey League, he has qualified for the playoffs all seven times. Two days after he was fired by the Washington Capitals 22 games into the 2011-2012 season, he was hired by the Ducks, who he coached for 58 games that year (27-23-8). Since then, it’s been three straight Pacific Division championships in Anaheim. This is his first trip to a Conference Final, despite vast regular season success throughout his career. In the regular season, his win percentage is .606. Boudreau is 35-31 in postseason play which is why the Toronto native’s image as a coach has been one who fails to motivate his team at the right time and tinkers with his lineup at inopportune moments.
However, by going 8-1 in the first two rounds this time around, Boudreau hasn’t needed to alter his forward/defense groupings in the slightest. Last year, the Ducks were ousted by the L.A. Kings in seven games after taking a 3-2 series lead. Their resiliency was put to the test in the first round against Winnipeg this year, but they managed to escape with a four-game sweep. Calgary’s exuberance on the ice wasn’t enough to defeat the will of Boudreau’s club, but Chicago can become a wake-up call rather quickly if coached against poorly. The reasoning as to why that can occur originates to Boudreau’s counterpart.
Since becoming the Blackhawks head coach in 2008-09, Joel Quenneville has won 14 playoff series and two Stanley Cups. The Anaheim Ducks franchise as a whole has won 12 series in total. With “Coach Q” behind the bench, Chicago is 65-39 in the postseason. He has qualified for the playoffs 16 times over his illustrious coaching career and has 754 regular season wins. After falling to the Kings in overtime in Game 7 of the Western Conference Final, Quenneville has brought his team within four wins of their third Stanley Cup Final appearance in six years. He adjusts his forward lines when they aren’t producing to his liking, and pairs Kane and Toews at even strength when the Hawks are completely desperate for offense.
Regularly, he spreads the wealth up front, with seven-time 20-goal-scorer Patrick Sharp on the third line with Antoine Vermette and Teravainen. On the defensive side, Quenneville has had to rely on his top four (Keith, Seabrook, Oduya, Hjalmarsson) over the past two postseasons. Now-Islander Nick Leddy was constantly in Q’s doghouse last year, and rarely saw the ice in high-pressure situations. The lack of depth on the back-end is one of the only things that plagues the Blackhawks, but Quenneville thinks that they will be in good shape despite Rozsival out of the lineup. It’s hard to disagree with the coach who ranks 3rd all-time in regular season victories.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Anaheim’s power play is sizzling-hot at 31% (9-for-29). The way they operate is almost exactly how they work the zone at even strength. They prefer to run two forwards in the slot, one directly in between the circles and one just outside the blue paint. By drawing one or two penalty killers to the top of the point where a pair of defenseman reside for Anaheim, a quick pass to the top of the circle creates a brief 3-on-2. This opens the opportunity for a quick shot towards the front of the goal in hopes of a rebound. The difference-maker in Game 5 against Calgary came off this play, and Matt Beleskey was there to capitalize on it. He has two goals on the man-advantage, while five other Duck players have also scored on the league’s top powerplay.
The Ducks superstars are not afraid to chew up minutes on the penalty kill, either. Beauchemin and Després are two heavy bodies that aren’t afraid to go to the dirty areas around the net to ensure that most shots from the opposition will be seen by Andersen. Their penalty kill percentage is at 87.1%, and their depth up front as well attests to that. Getzlaf and Kesler wreak havoc for teams hoping to create offense on the powerplay against them by getting their sticks in shooting lanes and blocking shots. Silfverberg as well as Nate Thompson are also called upon by Boudreau when Anaheim needs to kill off an infraction. As the Ducks match up against a skilled powerplay in Chicago, they’ll need to make sure to force the Blackhawks to the outside and make it as difficult as possible for them to gain the offensive zone. Because even the strongest penalty killing squad can falter if they fail to execute.
The Chicago Blackhawks special teams currently are at each end of the spectrum. Their powerplay efficiency stands at 20.0%, which is second behind Anaheim among teams that haven’t been eliminated yet in this year’s postseason. Kane, Sharp, Toews, Keith, and Hossa see time on this star-studded attack. Their strategy is of two possibilities: dominate below the goal line or above the circles. Kane is one of the best set-up men in the league and can sauce a pass through several defenseman across the crease, which is one of the Hawks plays once they surround the goalmouth. After working it down low from the point, the late man slides toward the far post while a man in front of the crease occupies his defender. This enables a mere passing lane to be opened, but that’s all #88 needs to finesse the puck on the tape of one of his teammates.
As for the Hawks penalty kill, it isn’t pretty. It is an egregious 72.7% and showed no signs of improvement in the second round against the Wild. Minnesota scored in three of the four games in the series on the PP on eleven opportunities. Toews and Hossa are usually a reliable pair of forwards on the PK, but have not had the same success as they used to when Quenneville puts them out on the ice. Marcus Kruger and Brandon Saad are also utilized in this scenario, but have also been out of position more than usual. The Hawks PK has been too weak on the puck which translates into them having trouble clearing the zone. If the Blackhawks want to maintain control of the series against the Ducks, they’ll need to do their best to stay out of the penalty box and/or improve the penalty kill significantly.
WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR
For the Blackhawks: Marian Hossa
You won’t be able to find a heavier force on the puck than Marian Hossa. When he’s on top of his game, it’s tough to stop the 6’1″ Slovak. The biggest problem he’s had in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs is that he’s done everything but score. In his postseason career, Hossa has 135 points in 181 games. Although he does have eight points through two rounds, only one of those is a goal. The 36-year-old winger is known for scoring timely goals for Chicago, including the Game 5 OT winner against Nashville in the WCQF in 2010. But in the past two trips to the playoffs, he’s been as snakebitten as any Blackhawks forward. What makes Hossa so dominant in terms of puck possession is his pure strength. If enough space opens up around him, his center-lane drive to the net is impeccable. On the defensive side, Hossa can swiftly take away the puck from the opposition with his back-checking ability. The most consistent part of his play has been the knack he possesses for pressuring the opposition in all three zones which forces a plethora of turnovers. Despite his contributions on defense, the real question coming into the Western Conference Final will be if Marian Hossa can hit the back of the net against a well-defended team like the Ducks.
Because if he does, there’s no stopping him.
For the Ducks: Corey Perry
Corey Perry was an unstoppable figure in the first two rounds of the playoffs, there’s no argument about that. There will be an argument, however, over whether the defenses of Winnipeg and Calgary compare to the back-end in Chicago and how Perry will adapt to the way they limit prominent scoring threats. The Ducks will need him to be at his best if they hope to take down the Blackhawks in a seven-game series. In regards to his health, he has had “no difficulties” practicing for the past few days after he suffered the brief scare with Stajan, the knee is fine. Although he told reporters that he played through the initial impact on adrenaline, Perry has been racing around the rink in practice and showing no signs of impairment. The 2007 Stanley Cup winner understands the type of pressure not only himself is under but his entire team. This could be one of the most important series in Perry’s career if he wants to continue to ascend up the ladder in terms of upper-echelon forwards in the history of the NHL. He’s won two gold medals representing Team Canada in 2010 and 2014 and has a Hart Trophy as well as a Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy under his belt. Beating the Blackhawks and advancing to the Stanley Cup gives Perry an opportunity to add a second ring to his storied collection of accomplishments.
How does he stay so humble throughout all of this?
“I just play hockey,” Perry explained. “That’s all I’m really worried about. That’s all I care about, trying to help this team win. I could care less what people think. I just go out and do my thing.”
FINAL SAY
One of these two teams will advance to the Stanley Cup Final, that’s for certain. Everything else? It’s not that simple. The Ducks will advance if Andersen plays solid on a consistent basis while receiving the secondary scoring they’ve already been getting from players like Patrick Maroon and Andrew Cogliano. If their defense can withstand the balanced attack of Chicago, they should have no problems due to how talented their own offense can be when the pieces come together. However, the inexperience on the roster in Anaheim could eventually spell their doom. The Blackhawks from top-to-bottom know what it takes to not only get to the dance, but win, and win often. Kane and Perry will have their own share of adversity to battle through with the amount of spotlight that shines on the both of them, respectively. In the end, captains Getzlaf and Toews will need to continue to perform at both ends of the ice and light a fire underneath their respective teams if they hope to inch closer towards lifting Lord Stanley.
My prediction? Hawks in 7.
And the rest of the LWOS Hockey Dept?
Tyler Shea: Hawks in 6
Shawn Wilken: Hawks in 7
Ben Kerr: Ducks in 7
Charlie Clarke: Hawks in 7
Markus Meyer: Ducks in 7
Brandon Altomonte: Hawks in 6
Griffin Schroeder: Ducks in 7
